On the 20th of May, we remember the fearless freedom fighter Bipin Chandra Pal and explore fascinating historical events — from Vasco da Gama’s arrival in India to the invention of blue jeans, moving pictures, and the metric system. A day of patriotism, progress, and peculiar milestones!
Dear Students,
India breathes free today — but this freedom was not gifted, it was earned through the sacrifices of countless brave souls who dared to dream of an independent nation. Among them stood a towering figure — Bipin Chandra Pal — the fiery patriot and fearless voice of the people, fondly remembered as the ‘Pal’ in the legendary trio Lal-Bal-Pal.
You may know the other two: Lal was Lala Lajpat Rai, the Lion of Punjab, and Bal was Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the father of Indian unrest. Together, they ignited the flame of nationalism in every Indian heart.
Today, the 20th of May, marks the death anniversary of Bipin Chandra Pal — a day to pause, to remember, and to offer our heartfelt tribute to a man whose courage and conviction shaped the destiny of our nation.
Let us bow our heads in gratitude, and keep his memory alive — not just in our words, but in the ideals we live by.
Do you know what’s so special about the 20th of May? Well, hold on to your history books—and maybe your jeans—because a lot has happened on this day over the years!
Let’s go back to the year 1498. On the 20th of May, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reached the western sea coast of India at Kozhikode (that’s Calicut in Kerala).
Then, fast-forward to the year 1501—again on the 20th of May—another Portuguese explorer, João da Nova, reached an uninhabited island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. He named it Ascension Island. No people, no houses, no restaurants—just one explorer and a whole lot of seagulls for company.
And now, let’s talk fashion! These days, wearing jeans is as normal as checking your phone every five minutes. But did you know that blue jeans became official on—you guessed it—the 20th of May, back in 1873? That’s when Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis got a U.S. patent for rivet-reinforced jeans. In simple words, they made trousers strong enough to survive anything—from gold mining to sitting through boring lectures!
Now students, these days you watch YouTube videos, binge shows on TV, and even go to the movie hall to see the latest blockbuster. But did you know that it was on the 20th of May, back in 1891, when Thomas Edison—the same genius who lit up our lives with the electric bulb—introduced the world to the Kinetoscope, the very first device to watch moving pictures? So yes, the next time you’re glued to a screen, give a tiny nod to good old Edison!
Oh, and here’s something for all the science lovers! On the 20th of May, 1875, the Metre Convention was signed in Paris. Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? But it’s very useful. This international treaty set up the International Bureau of Weights and Measures—a place where scientists decided to make measurements the same all over the world. So, whether you’re in India or Iceland, a metre is a metre, and a kilogram is a kilogram. Imagine the confusion if your “one litre” of milk became “one and a half” in another country!
So students, next time you look at the calendar and see “20th May”, remember—it’s a day of discoveries, denim, devices, and decimals!
Goodbye
